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Marlins move Hanley to fifth spot in order for now

Marlins move Hanley to fifth spot in order for now

MIAMI -- At some point, Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen hopes to return Hanley Ramirez to the No. 3 spot in the lineup.

First, the veteran third baseman will have to earn the coveted slot in the order. To go forward, Ramirez is being asked to move backward.

Friday marked the first time this season that Ramirez was hitting as low as fifth. Omar Infante batted second in the series opener with the Nationals at Marlins Park.

Ideally, Guillen would like for Ramirez to hit third.

"On this ballclub, yes," the manager said. "There is no doubt about it. But he's got to start hitting the way he needs to hit to earn that spot. I think right now, he has to find a way. Hopefully, batting fifth, he starts swinging the bat better, and then we will bat him third, because that is the place he should be."

When the season began, Ramirez batted third, where in 65 games, he batted .259 with 11 homers and 38 RBIs.

But after Ramirez labored, he was switched to the second spot in the order. But in 19 games there, he batted .211 (16-for-76) with one homer and six RBIs.

Ramirez is playing with his right hand wrapped because he received two stitches on a knuckle after punching a cooling fan in the dugout on Sunday in St. Louis.

"I talked to him about it," Guillen said of the punching incident. "I hope he understands I wasn't mad at him, I was upset. I played the game. I coached and managed. People get upset. But every time players get upset and hurt, you don't just hurt yourself, you hurt a lot of people. I hope it don't happen again."